Committee Begins Review Of Proposed School Budget

WETHERSFIELD — The tedious nature of school budget preparations was evident Thursday night as the school board's budget committee started its review of the 1997-98 proposal.

``We are in for a long ride,'' board Chairman John Cascio told the committee and those who gathered in the resource room of the Webb Building, which houses the school system's administrative offices. ``And it's going to be a bumpy road.''

Cascio cautioned the committee members that they may not agree on the matters before them, but he urged them to remain open-minded.

The committee began a line-by- line review of the budget, which it expects to present to the full board Feb. 10. It will not be presented to the town council until sometime in May.

The committee will compare the 1995-96 budget with current expenditures to help project future costs. Enrollment projections, new programs, textbooks and equipment replacement are among things the committee is scrutinizing.

Superintendent Lynne Pierson compared preparing a budget to building a house.

``All of those [components] have to fit together to really make sense,'' Pierson said.

About 20 parents and administrators attended the session. Cynthia Wallace and about half a dozen other parents of second-graders at the Emerson Williams School have been trying to get an additional classroom and teacher to relieve crowding.

There are two second-grade classes at the school with about 27 students each. After arguing the parents' point with school officials for two years, Wallace was told to attend the budget meeting. An extra teacher for the school is in the general budget request for next year.

Wallace said she and her group plan to attend all of the work sessions that concern the elementary schools. She said she is very interested in the process and encourages other parents to participate.